What's happening now?

With some big projects on the go at the moment, we take the time to enjoy the beauty of sharing.

Improvisation is a shared experience. With an audience its a wider sharing too. Tales of great depth and lovely humour can be in conjunction with the trauma of being spontaneous. Spectators revel and improvisers play. All from a suggestion that may have been grabbed from the onlookers.

Instead of grabbing some form of suggestion from NTW for this blog though, I shall just type. And thus share.

A little about us: As you may know or may not, Ludus Ludius Improvisation Theatre Company was founded in 2007 by Nathan Keates and Matt Mills. We began to create theatre through improvised playfulness. Now we are a collective. Various performers, artists, actors, dancers, musicians and obviously improvisers are called upon when a project could be ideal for whom ever. Ludus Ludius are moving towards applying improvisation skill and techniques to those that may benefit personally, socially, emotionally and collaboratively. This therefore means that along with productions that we explore and workshops we share, move to applied improv.

A workshop that is coming that we are sharing the art form through is open to all. People in the theatrical world and those that aren't. This generally makes for better improvisation in any case and is always really interesting. In a weekend workshop we shall cover the basics of improvisation. Covering topics from Keith Johnstone, Viola Spolin, John Wright, Chris Johnston and some from the infamous Nathan Keates (amongst others). By the end of the weekend you should have a good understanding of the art form of improvisation and can stroll through the wonders that is your journey to the unknown.

We call the process the 'journey to the unknown' because no one can tell you how to improvise and everyone has a different 'journey' or process to finding their approach that suits them.

Next Weekend is planned for: Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th July '11, 10am - 5pm @ Rummer Tavern
(14 Duke Street - Opposite the castle)

Book via: www.ludusludius.co.uk > Workshops (tab)

Or Skiddle, Brown Paper Tickets or Eventbrite

And the ALMIGHTY Edinburgh Fringe production that we are rehearsing for too. Read about it on Ideastap or our Blog. Initially set out as aiming to explore an emblem or theme/issue spontaneously and improvisationally as a free-form long-form improvisation and now after months of processing we are nearing the stage where we can state what it is. This very day we opened the rehearsal sentimentally and reflectively. It was nice to recall what we have done in the past and use that energy to look to the future.

Subsequently we are previewing the production, 'Emblem: Spontaneous Thoughts on Perception' in ATRium Studio (CB218) on Wednesday 8th June, 7pm. Its free, but it is a fundraiser so help us out and come support a welsh-based production get to Edinburgh. (I know there are more than just this show that is going from Wales). There is some welsh in the show too, perhaps. It may not arrive on the preview - lets see.

Do not panic if you are busy as we are also previewing in London near the end of June. With a lot of other Edinburgh Fringe previews. That will take place in Balham in South London. The Bedford is the home of great shows and some massive famous names have played in the venue. Even great improv has been shown there. The likes of Hoopla have used the venue a lot in the past.

Once more if you do not make that date either, then there is always the run itself in Edinburgh to come to. It would be advised that you come anyway, whether or not you saw a preview. Mainly advisable as the previews are where we fine tune it for the fringe itself and thus not the complete finished product.

Kiwi Bar @ Walkabout (Venue #344), Leith St nr the railway. From Sunday 14th August - Saturday 20th August, 20.45pm - 21.45pm. Free entry there too, but donations welcome to make sure we survive doing the fringe.

So what's happening with Ludus Ludius? A lot, big projects.

Edinburgh Fringe Photoshoot 2

This last Wednesday we had a small photoshoot. These images are going to be adapted to suit the purpose, obviously. However there was a huge amount of fun with these and some great moments can be seen in them.

And now for some more of the pictures... Thank you Matt Mills, who took these.

Last two now!

Here...

Young Spontaneity

It is human nature to be spontaneous. When we are young toddlers we are intrigued by a lot. This state of being is useful. We learn we discover and we don't hold any prejudice over what we discover or see. As adults it is remarkably the opposite. However we still have no choice to be spontaneous.

What changes the inquisitive nature of the child as we grow up? Keith Johnstone blames the education system. This could well be true, but what I see is more than that. Its the social implications of being seen as a bit too risky, a bit too wild. A person that can and will do anything at any point is too much to comprehend. In a romantic relationship its a common request that, I want my partner to be more spontaneous. Why is this a request? You play too safe and we get bored. What life can be when we are more spontaneous is therefore not boring.

Even as an audience in watching an improv show, if the players keep doing the safe games in the same roles in a classic format, then it does become more tedious and too safe. (Short-form improvisational comedy shows are classically formatted by various games played which have players in certain roles in the game the scenes that are created are never the same; however the format can be).

We do not like feeling safe: What is a mid-life crisis? Is it someone who has lived their life without risk and change? If this is an agreeable statement, then perhaps our young community needs more spontaneity to allow this to continue through their lives. If its not an agreeable statement, then we can further the connection, but lets leave that to another time.

The reason that this article is written is due to Ludus Ludius Youth having been run for awhile now and the experience of the young improvisational players having sporadic imaginations or the polar opposite. We are in fact aiming for the more difficult task not because of a personal choice, but as its the more suitable option for the players. Tight, restrictive rules are seemingly always too much. Freer scene work is preferable. Personally, every time that we explore something new, be it a new group or age range then we all learn and discover something new.

Young spontaneity in these days is highly interesting. Do you want to watch? Do you want to participate? Do you think we should keep spontaneity flowing through all our life, not just the very young?

Its easy to share your thoughts and get involved with this, email nathan@ludusludius.co.uk and join our mailing list or share thoughts and ask to part-take.

Intensive Improv Weekend Workshop

Intensive weekend workshop is Saturday 13th June 09 to 14th June, starting at 10 AM till 4PM @ The Annexe, Ebenezer Chapel, Charles Street, Cardiff CF10 2GA. This workshop is suitable for beginners to improvisation and performance.The journey to the unknown starts off the discovery and exploration of improvisation with Ludus Ludius' focus of play and playfulness. Throughout the weekend we get to know the players and discover the unknown together and exploring what improv is a and playing with this art form.We have three sets of these workshops, beginners, intermediates and advanced. We begin with the basics of improv through fun and playful games and exercises. We then move to Johnstone and Spolin approaches as we we look at other ways. Ludus Ludius puts emphasis on play and playfulness in improv and we discover and explore through these means. Every workshop is different, so we can cover more or less than what's listed.To book onto this event goto the workshops page on www.ludusludius.co.uk